I’m looking for some advice regarding a server setup for a small business 15-20 user. Mainly looking for the software and general structure advice, hardware recommondations are also fine but currently 2nd priority.
Current situation:
Domain server with a few users connected
5 NAS, some with same logins, some with different login credentials per user
Printer
VPN
The Problem:
The logins are not stored, so after a restart of the client PCs, the logins need to be entered again (for some of the PCs).
Random MAC address blocking, what requires new “whitelisting”, not clear why.
In general, very fragmented because of the history of the setup. I was expanded over time, until it got so big, that’s management takes too much time.
I’m not the system admin, but I want to be sure, we have a good and future prove solution. Because we are that the point where we are looking to completely re-hall the server structure, I though I get some suggestions form the professionals
It would be great if I could get some ideas on how to set up the structure and also some recommendations regarding the software.
The server would need to function as:
File server with specific access per user to separate the departments
I’d suggest an EPYC based central server, with external data-replication and VM’s to separate the various functions. If you’re upgrading the hardware, I strongly suggest upgrading your network too, by creating a fiber backbone between the server, router (WAN!) and various switches for various departments in your company.
As for software, FreeNAS and Proxmox are your first tools to investigate, for more cloud-oriented solutions try OwnCloud and NextCloud.
Welcome to the forum and bonus points for your username.
Just a general note of caution about soliciting business IT advice from random internet peeps. Your business is of a size that could be severely impacted if you take the wrong advice and deploy a setup that compromises an aspect of your business (security, data loss etc).
If you can afford to make sure you validate any suggestions with an indemnified vendor. I’d actually suggest trying an enterprise vendor like Dell or Lenovo, you may find their small business solutions are reasonable for your needs.
Also consider whether this is the right time for a cloud migration, it may solve your short term issues and your scalability situation.
On your specific problems:
You may need a key management server and move to certificates. You can do this on the domain controller or buy a dedicated appliance. Some also handle remote access.
Check your vlans and network topology. This sort of issue can be a pain to troubleshoot but may go away with a new network structure.
Thats how it usually goes. See above recommendation about cloud migration. Most of my clients are looking at this as a solution to complexity reduction. Your network is still fairly small and you don’t mention many server side applications, so storage consolidation (with resilience) and a network restructure may be all you need.
I would strongly recommend getting professional (indemnified) advice from a consultant in your market. However if you want to float some A/B options past this community then we can share some perspectives on what we see elsewhere.
Note my current network review project has 230000 users in 60 countries, so don’t take my examples as being relevant to your needs.
Also thanks for your suggestions and warning. I’m clear I cannot just copy a suggested setup, there is the risk of known bugs what allow access or such like. I’m asking here, so I can ask any IT specialist about different options for us. I want to avoid that a bored IT guy “just installs the usual setup” without thinking out of the box and including also new developments. Please do not take it as an offence, there are brilliant IT people out there!
In regards to cloud migration, for me this would be an option, but its not easy to convince everybody…
I would echo what @Airstripone suggested with seeking professional consulting, I recommend looking at what Managed Service Providers (MSPs) are in your area and are open to helping. Find one you feel comfortable working with. Additionally as mentioned offering from most all the major OEMs (Dell, HP, Lenovo) may have offerings very well suited for what you are looking at doing. Just be mindful that custom/DIY software setups, although awesome, can introduce the possibility of risk to your IT infrastructure. Either through security wholes, or knowledge gaps, etc… Just some food for thought! Wishing you all the best with this project though, very exciting. Especially if you go epyc
When it comes to hardware, exploring offerings from Dell, HP, or Lenovo might provide options tailored to your requirements. It’s tempting to go the custom or DIY route, but as mentioned, it’s crucial to weigh the potential risks, especially in terms of security and maintenance.
As you embark on this project, keep in mind that having a reliable CRM system like sugar crm integrated into your setup can really streamline your business operations. All the best with your server setup journey – it’s exciting stuff, especially if you go epyc!
